Shutoff valve and solenoid coil mounting bracket therefor

ABSTRACT

Snap-on metal frame for solenoid coils of solenoid-controlled mixing valve. The frame is generally C-shaped in form and its bottom leg is secured to the valve body and forms a cover for the valve body. Solenoid coils for the valves are mounted on the valve body for movement about the axes of the coils. Terminals from the coils extend from the coils and cover certain of the means securing the frame to the valve body, when the solenoid coils are in their operative positions. A top leg of the frame extends over the tops of the coils and has outwardly opening notches registering with lugs on the coils, for holding the terminals in their operative positions. During assembly of the valve, the coils and terminals are turned in the frame to afford access to the securing means, and the top leg of the frame engages the tops of the lugs on the coils. When the securing means have been tightened, the coils are then turned until the notches in the top leg snap into engagement with the lugs projecting upwardly from the coils.

United States Patent i 21 1511 [so] Inventor William R. McCarty Skokie, Ill.

App]. No 82l,050

Filed June 1, 1969 Patented July 6, 1971 Assignee Eaton Yale 8t 'lowne lnc.

SHUTOFF VALVE AND SOLENOID COIL MOUNTING BRACKET THEREFOR Primary Examiner-Arnold Rosenthal AttorneyHill, Shennan, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT. Snap-on metal frame for solenoid coils of solenoid-controlled mixing valve. The frame is generally C-shaped in form and its bottom leg is secured to the valve body and forms a cover for the valve body. Solenoid coils for the valves are mounted on the valve body for movement about the axes of the coils. Terminals from the coils extend from the coils and cover certain of the means securing the frame to the valve body, when the solenoid coils are in their operative positions. A top leg of the frame extends over the tops of the coils and has outwardly opening notches registering with lugs on the coils, for holding the terminals in their operative positions. During assembly of the valve, the coils and terminals are turned in the frame to afford access to the securing means,

and the top leg of the frame engages the tops of the lugs on the coils. When the securing means have been tightened, the coils are then turned until the notches in the top leg snap into engagement with the lugs projecting upwardly from the coils.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE lNVENTlON Snap-on frame for the coils of solenoid-controlled valves accommodating positioning of the coils and terminals about the axes of the coils, to enable ready securing of the frame to the valve body and snapping into position to hold the coils in the proper relation,-for connection of the terminals to a power source. 7

I A principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of retainer for the solenoid coils of a solenoid-controlled valve, so arranged so to enable pivotal movement of the coils about their axes to afford ready access to the securing means, securing the retainer to the body of the valve, and positively holding the coils in position for connection to sources of powenas the retainers are secured to the valve body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified retaining means for the coils of solenoid-controlled valves in which the retaining means forms a cover for the valve body and is secured thereto as by machine screws, and so arranged as to enable the coils to be positioned about their axes to afford ready access to the machine screws, and snapping into interengagement with the coils when in their proper positions, to retain the coils in position for connection to a source of power.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a metal retaining frame and valve constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing the solenoid coils and terminals in position for connection with a source of power.

FIG. 2 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 1' to but showing the coils and terminals in position to afford access to the screws securing the coils and retainer, to the body of the valve.

FIG. 3 is a view in said elevation of the valve shown in FlGS.

l and 2 with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in section; and

, FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through the mounting bracket for the solenoid coils, showing one-half of the cover plate of the bracket in plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT F i wENTioN material, as is conventional with such valves. A separate solenoid-controlled presure-operated diaphragm valve (not shown) is associated with the individual hot and cold water inlets, for controlling the flow of hot and cold water into the valve body under the control of individual solenoids l5, 15. The diaphragm valves are of a form well known to those skilled in the art and commonly used in mixing valves for appliances, and are no part of the present invention so need not be shown and described herein.

The solenoids each include a solenoid coil 16, shown as being of the encapsulated type having spaced axially aligned sleevelike pole pieces [7, 17 extending above and below the top and bottom of the coil and forming the pole pieces for the solenoid and encircling the armature (not shown) of the solenoid, controlling operation of the associated diaphragm valve. The armature is guided in the usual armature guide (not shown)extending within and along the pole pieces l7, l7 and is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shown or described further.

,The solenoid coils 16 are each shown as being encapsulated in plastic material having the pole pieces 17 disposed therein and having a widened top terminal portion 19- extending from the coilin an opposite direction from,the inlets ll, 11 when the coils are in the positions shown in FIG. I. The pole pieces 17 may be pressed into the coils 16 from opposite ends thereof, or from one end thereof where a single pole piece may be used, after the coils are in position in a mounting bracket 22 for the coils. The widened top terminal portion 19 of each coils forms an encapsulating and insulating means for terminals 21, 21 electrically connected with the coil for energizing the coil.

The mounting bracket 22 forms a means for mounting the coils 16 on the valve body and retaining the coils in position on the valve body to be connected with suitable receptacles (not shown), or other current'conducting means connected with a source of electric energy. Said mounting bracket is shown as being generally C-shaped in form and may be made from steel or any other ferromagnetic material having the resiliency to accommodate movement of the coils about their axes and then to snap into engagement with the coils, to clamp the coils to the valve body. The C-sahped mounting bracket 22 includes a bottom plate 23 having a skirt 24' depending therefrom and extending along the sides and front of the valve body. The bottom plate 23 forms a cover for said valve body, and retains the diaphragm armature assembly (not shown) within said valve body. The bottom plates 23 has apertured portions 17" for the pole pieces l7, l7 and has arcuate embossments 23 spaced outwardly of said apertured portions andforming guides and retainer for the solenoid coils when inserting the coils in the mounting brackets and prior to the insertion of the pole pieces therein. The mounting bracket 22 is secured to the valve body to form a cover therefor, by machine screws 25, 25 or other suitable securing means, in which access to the securing means is from the top of the cover or bracket.

The mounting bracket 22 has a vertically extending leg 26 formed integrally with the bottom plate 23 and spaced outwardly of the solenoid coils 16. A retainer plate 27 extends from said leg over the top of the widened portions 19 of said coils and is biased into engagement with the tops of the coils by the resiliency of the mounting bracket.

The retainer plate 27 has spaced apertured portions 28, 28, accommodating the top pole pieces 17, 17 of the solenoid coils-l6, 16 to be pivotally mounted therein to retain the coils for pivotal movement about the axes thereof. The axially aligned bottom pole pieces l7, 17 in turn are pivotally mounted in the bottom plate 23, as shown in FIG. 3.

The outer side edges of the retainer plate 27 are flared upwardly from the front of the back portion of said retainer plate as indicated by reference characters 30, 30. The flared side edges 30, 30 form in effect a cam means converging to the plane of the plate towards the front thereof to accommodate the solenoids to be slipped into the bracket from the outer sides of the bracket prior to assembly of the bracket to the valve body and then turned into their selected positions. The

retainer plate 27 also has two laterally spaced notches 32, 32 in radial alignment with the centers of the pole pieces 17 and opening toward the front of the valve body. The notches 32, 32 are adapted to register with lugs 33, 33 projecting upwardly of the tops of the widened top portions l9, 19 of the solenoids l5, 15 when the terminals 21, 21 of said solenoids are in the selected position for connection with a source of power.

In assembling the solenoid to the bracket 22 andvalve body 10, the solenoid coils may be assembled to the bracket 22 prior to assembling the bracket to said valve body.

As for example, one solenoid coil 16 may be assembled from the side and rear end portion of the bracket by slipping the coil inwardly along the bottom plate 23 of the bracket from the side of the bracket by slightly springing the retainer plate and bottom plate away from each other by engagement of the coil with the flared side edges 30 until the coil is registered in position by the guide embossments 23" and a central passageway 16" for the pole pieces registers with the apertured portions 28 in said retainer plate, and the corresponding apertured portions l7 in the cover 23. The coil may then be turned until the notches 32 in the retainer plate 27 snap into engagement with the lugs 33, 33.

When initially assembled, prior to pressing the pole pieces 17 into the central passageway 16' of the coils, the terminals 21, 21 may face in opposite directions towards opposite sides of the valve, with the lugs 33 engaging under the flared portions 30 of said top cover plate. In this position of the solenoid coils the pole pieces 17 for each coil may then be inserted through the apertured portions 28 and 17 in the mounting bracket and pressed inwardly along the passageway 16" from opposite endsthereof. This will retain the respective coil to the mounting bracket for pivotal movement about the pole pieces. The cover plate, solenoid coils and pole pieces may then be slipped along the guides (not shown) for the armatures (not shown) controlling operation of the diaphragm valves (not shown) and the cover plate 23 may be placed on top of the valve body. The center machine screws may then be positioned in threaded engagement with the valve body. Free access may then be had to place all the machine screws in their threaded holes in the valve body, and to tighten the machine screws and bring the cover plate into clamping engagement with the top of the valve body. As the cover plate is clamped to the top of the valve body to the proper degree of tightness, the solenoid coils may then be turned about the axes of the pole pieces to the position shown in FIG. I. When in these positions, the retainer plate 27 will snap down onto the top of the widened portions 19 of the solenoid coils and bring the notches 32 into engagement with the lugs 33. This will retain the terminals 21 in aligned positions to be connected with their receptacles or other sources of power and will firmly retain the solenoid coils in operative relation with respect to their armatures (not shown).

It is of course, understood that the solenoid coils may be pivoted into various positions to afford the most convenient access to the screws 25 and that the notches 32 or the lugs 33 may be located to hold the coils in both their operative and inoperative positions. The notches also may be located in various other locations than those shown in H08. 1 and 2, in accordance with positions of the receptacles or connectors to be connected with the terminals 21.

With the bracket of the present invention, the solenoid coils may be assembled to the bracket and then the bracket and coils may be assembled to the armatures guides and body of the valve and secured thereto by the machine screws 25, all of which are readily accessible by turning the solenoid coils in one direction or another.

While I have herein shown and describedone form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that variousvariations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. in a solenoid-controlled shutoff valve,

a valve body having at least one inlet and an outlet and a valve controlling the flow of liquid between said inlet and said outlet,

a solenoid coil energizable to control operation of said valve and having current conducting terminals extending therefrom,

a coverfor said valve body,

securing means spaced along said cover for securing said cover to said valve body,

said cover having a resilient metal bracket having a retainer portion extending over said solenoid coil and cooperating with said solenoid coil to retain said solenoid coil to said valve body and cover, and to accommodate turning of said solenoid coil about its axis to move said terminals in position to afford access to said securing means securing said cover to said valve body, and having snapping engagement with said coil by the resiliency of the metal from which said bracket is made upon movement of said coil into position to retain said terminals in cooperative relation with the means affording a source of power for said coil, and v said cover also having arcuate guides extending upwardly therefrom concentric with the axis of said coil and opening to the side of said cover for guiding the solenoid coil into registry with said cover and for adjustable pivotal movement relative to said cover about the axis of said solenoid coil, and an aligning interengaging connection between said retainer portion of said bracket and said solenoid coil, holding said solenoid coil in operative position and accommodating movement of said solenoid coil to afford free access to said securing means, upon assembly of said cover to said valve body. 2. A solenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 1 wherein the retainer portion of said bracket has an upwardly flared side portion forming a camming surface accommodating the camming of said retainer portion away from said cover to accommodate the positioning of a solenoid coil between said cover and retainer portion and the mounting of the solenoid coil between said cover and retainer portion for adjustable movement about the axis of the coil, to afford free access to said securing means upon assembly of said cover to the valve body, and wherein the interengaging registering connection between said solenoid coil and retainer portion, retains said retainer portion from direct engagement with the top surface of said coil when the coil is out of its selected position and snaps into registering engagement with said coil when the terminals are in selected positions of adjustment. 3. AsoIenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 2,

wherein the interengaging registering connection is a lug and notch connection.

4. A solenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the cover and retainer portion are integral and are made from a resilient ferromagnetic metal, and

wherein a lug and notch connection is provided between said solenoid coil and retainer portion accommodating the snapping of said retainer portion into engagement with the top of said coil, to hold said coil in a selected position.

5. In a solenoid-controlled shutoff valve having a valve body, a solenoid coil having a central passageway extending therealong, an armature extending along said central passageway, the improvements comprising a cover for said valve body and snap-on bracket for said coil including,

a generally C-shaped resilient metal frame including a bottom cover plate for said valve body,

a vertical leg extending upwardly of said cover plate, and

a retainer plate extending from said vertical leg over said cover plate and generally parallel thereto,

said cover plate and retainer plate being made from a resilient metal and having aligned apertured portions coaxial with said central passageway when the coil is in position in said bracket, said aligned apertured portions being yieldable relative to each other to accommodate the mounting of the solenoid coil between said plates by the springing of one plate relative to the other and snapping of said retainer plate into position along the top of the coil to retain said central passageway in alignment with said apertured portions of said cover plate and said retainer plate, and

a notch and lug connection between the top of said solenoid coil and said retainer plate, snapping into registering engagement with each other upon the turning of the solenoid coil to position the terminals thereof in the proper position for registry with a source of power.

6. The snap-on bracket of claim 5,

wherein the retainer plate has an angularly outwardly and upwardly flared top portion accommodating the wedging of said retainer plate in position by pressure of the solenoid coil inwardly along said cover plate to engage said solenoid coil with said flared top portion of said retainer plate and register said central passageway extending along the coil with the apertured portions in said cover and said retainer plate.

7. A snap-on bracket in accordance with the claim 5,

wherein said cover plate is provided with a series of apertures leading therefrom for receiving securing means securing said cover plate to the valve body,

7 wherein the cover plate has arcuate guides projecting from the top thereof conforming to the coil and opening to the sides of said cover plate, for guiding the coil. in position along said cover plate as inserted beneath said retainer plate from the side of said retainer plate and cover plate, wherein thesolenoid coil has a widened top portion having terminals extending therefrom and extending over certain 6 of said retainer holes when the lug and notch connection are in registry with each other, and wherein release of said lug and notch connection accommodates the turning of the solenoid coil along said arcuate guide projecting from said cover plate to position said terminals in position to afford ready access to said 1 retainer holes and the securing means extending therethrough. 8. The snap-on bracket of claim 5, wherein the lug and notch connection is an outwardly opening notch in said retainer plate and a lug on the solenoid coil projecting upwardly therefrom and engaging the underside of said retainer plate to hold said notch out of engagement with said lug in one position of said coil, and wherein movement of said lug in registry with said notch accommodates the snapping of said retainer plate into engagement with the solenoid coil to retain the terminals thereof in selected operative positions. 9. A snap-on bracket in accordance with claim 7, wherein pole pieces are inserted along said central passageway extending along said coil through said apertured portions in said cover plate and said retainer plate and pivotally mount said coil in said mounting bracket. 

1. In a solenoid-controlled shutoff valve, a valve body having at least one inlet and an outlet and a valve controlling the flow of liquid between said inlet and said outlet, a solenoid coil energizable to control operation of said valve and having current conducting terminals extending therefrom, a cover for said valve body, securing means spaced along said cover for securing said cover to said valve body, said cover having a resilient metal bracket having a retainer portion extending over said solenoid coil and cooperating with said solenoid coil to retain said solenoid coil to said valve body and cover, and to accommodate turning of said solenoid coil about its axis to move said terminals in position to afford access to said securing means securing said cover to said valve body, and having snapping engagement with said coil by the resiliency of the metal from which said bracket is made upon movement of said coil into position to retain said terminals in cooperative relation with the means affording a source of power for said coil, and said cover also having arcuate guides extending upwardly therefrom concentric with the axis of said coil and opening to the side of said cover for guiding the solenoid coil into registry with said cover and for adjustable pivotal movement relative to said cover about the axis of said solenoid coil, and an aligning interengaging connection between said retainer portion of said bracket and said solenoid coil, holding said solenoid coil in operative position and accommodating movement of said solenoid coil to afford free access to said securing means, upon assembly of said cover to said valve body.
 2. A solenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 1 wherein the retainer portion of said bracket has an upwardly flared side portion forming a camming surface accommodating the camming of said retainer portion away from said cover to accommodate the positioning of a solenoid coil between said cover and retainer portion and the mounting of the solenoid coil between said cover and retainer portion for adjustable movement about the axis of the coil, to afford free access to said securing means upon assembly of said cover to the valve body, and wherein the interengaging registering connection between said solenoid coil and retainer portion, retains said retainer portion from direct engagement with the top surface of said coil when the coil is out of its selected position and snaps into registering engagement with said coil when the terminals are in selected positions of adjustment.
 3. A solenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 2, wherein the interengaging registering connection is a lug and notch connection.
 4. A solenoid-controlled shutoff valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover and retainer portion are integral and are made from a resilient ferromagnetic metal, and wherein a lug and notch connection is provided between said solenoid coil and retainer portion accommodating the snapping of said retainer portion into engagement with the top of said coil, to hold said coil in a selected position.
 5. In a solenoid-controlled shutoff valve having a valve body, a solenoid coil having a central passageway extending therealong, an armature extending along said central passageway, the improvements comprising a cover for said valve body and snap-on bracket for said coil including, a generally C-shaped resilient metal frame including a bottom cover plate for said valve body, a vertical leg extending upwardly of said cover plate, and a retainer plate extending from said vertical leg over said cover plate and generally parallel thereto, said cover plate and retainer plate being made from a resilient metal and having aligned apertured portions coaxial with said central passageway when the coil is in position in said bracket, said aligned apertured portions being yieldable relative to each other to accommodate the mounting of the solenoid coil between said plates by the springing of one plate relative to the other and snapping of said retainer plate into position along the top of the coil to retain said central passageway in alignment with said apertured portions of said cover plate and said retainer plate, and a notch and lug connection between the top of said solenoid coil and said retainer plate, snapping into registering engagement with each other upon the turning of the solenoid coil to position the terminals thereof in the proper position for registry with a source of power.
 6. The snap-on bracket of claim 5, wherein the retainer plate has an angularly outwardly and upwardly flared top portion accommodating the wedging of said retainer plate in position by pressure of the solenoid coil inwardly along said cover plate to engage said solenoid coil with said flared top portion of said retainer plate and register said central passageway extending along the coil with the apertured portions in said cover and said retainer plate.
 7. A snap-on bracket in accordance with the claim 5, wherein said cover plate is provided with a series of apertures leading therefrom for receiving securing means securing said cover plate to the valve body, wherein the cover plate has arcuate guides projecting from the top thereof conforming to the coil and opening to the sides of said cover plate, for guiding the coil in position along said cover plate as inserted beneath said retainer plate from the side of said retainer plate and cover plate, wherein the solenoid coil has a widened top portion having terminals extending therefrom and extending over certain of said retainer holes when the lug and notch connection are in registry with each other, and wherein release of said lug and notch connection accommodates the turning of the solenoid coil along said arcuate guide projecting from said cover plate to position said terminals in position to afford ready access to said retainer holes and the securing means extending therethrough.
 8. The snap-on bracket of claim 5, wherein the lug and notch connection is an outwardly opening notch in said retainer plate and a lug on the solenoid coil projecting upwardly therefrom and engaging the underside of said retainer plate to hold said notch out of engagement with said lug in one position of said coil, and wherein movement of said lug in registry with said notch accommodates the snapping of said retainer plate into engagement with the solenoid coil to retain the terminals thereof in selected operative positions.
 9. A snap-on bracket in accordance with claim 7, wherein pole pieces are inserted along said central passageway extending along said coil through said apertured portions in said cover plate and said retainer plate and pivotally mount said coil in said mounting bracket. 